Cycling in the City

Photos: September 14, 2016

Let me begin by saying I admire people who choose cycling as their means of transportation. I would not like to ride along with traffic. My cycling is limited to paths outside the city (and I haven't done that in a few years).

But now I will begin my rant against those cyclists who feel entitled. My city government is trying to make Montreal more cycle friendly. We have many kilometres of cycle paths, some protected and others just lanes demarcated by painted lines on streets. All the laws being proposed have to do with motor vehicles, none about cyclists. I do understand that if a car hits a cyclist, it is the cyclist who will be injured, but the driver will also live with the trauma. Here are cyclist infractions I have seen in the past few days:

• driving the wrong way on a one way street
• driving on the sidewalk
• talking on a cell phone (not hands free) while cycling
• my spouse saw someone taking a selfie while riding in traffic
• going through stop signs and red lights (this is a regular one) - I know someone in another city who was hit by a cyclist going through a red light. Four surgeries later her arm is still not perfect. The cyclist just picked himself up and went on his merry way with no consequences.
• driving through parks where there is a no bicycle sign and there is a designated bike path elsewhere in the park
• driving while holding parcels and a cup of coffee (how will he operate the brakes?)
• driving no hands (our city is full of pot holes - hitting one without control could be disastrous)

Then there are the safety infractions

• no lights on a bike while riding at night and wearing dark clothes (I could be stopped by police and fined if my car lights were not on or were burned out)
• no reflectors
• no helmet 
• no use of hand signals when turning
• driving in between lanes of cars ( a law here says cars have to be at least 1.5 metres away from a cyclist, but there is no law that says cyclists have to stay away from cars)

Bixis (bike sharing bicycles), fully equipped with front and rear lights as well as side reflectors 

There are those who just do not understand driving safety

• being unaware of blind spots, especially for trucks - a number of fatal accidents have been caused by trucks turning right past a cycle lane after a light change. Cyclists move ahead unaware of what the truck will do. Cyclists should stop where they can see the turn signals. 

There are no cyclists "driver's ed courses". There is no requirement for a license. There is no requirement for a helmet (all drivers and passengers have to buckle up in cars for safety reasons). 

I am all for making our city safer for cyclists but some of the onus has to be on the cyclists themselves to realize that if they want to use city streets they have to operate in a safe manner and respect the traffic code! I think licensing should be mandatory and along with the license should be a booklet which explains the traffic code and defensive driving tactics. Maybe then our city could be safer for both cyclists and drivers of motorized vehicles.

Day 256: Autumn Approaches

Day 256: Autumn Approaches, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A splendid day for biking. Not far from Casselman, a disused railway track has been converted into a bike path. We pedalled from Hammond to Bourget and back with signs of autumn evident everywhere. As we approached the path a flock of geese flew overhead, their raucous cries heralding the coming colder weather. The air smelled sweet as we cycled through a forested area. In spots there were crisp dry leaves on the path which crunched as we drove over them. Their smell was an autumn aroma, still fresh, not like the decaying smell of November. We continued past farms with their own aroma, pungent and not at all sweet.


It's odd how autumn brings both the brilliant hurrah of the maple reds and the fading whisper of the flowers. Both in their way, are a preparation for the dormancy of winter.

Day 215: Bicycle Post

Day 215: Bicycle Post, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Outside the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) are a number of bicycle stands each of a different design. I rather liked this zebra head and was glad it was free of a bicycle so I could admire it properly. It is wonderful how bicycles have become a mode of transport in our cities. Montreal's Bixie bikes have been very popular.

How times have changed since I was in Grade Seven. At one point I rode my bike to school, proud of the freedom this gave me. Until.... While the bike stands on the boys side of the playground were full; those on the girls side supported fewer bikes - I noticed I was only one of two girls in my grade to lock a bike on the rusted stands and the other girl wasn't popular at all. I caved - no more bike riding to school for me. I wanted to be seen as mature. Oh how times have changed, fortunately.

Now I hesitate to use my bike for transportation in the city - the traffic is too busy, the hills too steep for me to feel truly comfortable. But my bike has been getting use in Casselman when I am there. I can handle the smaller streets and flatter terrain. And once again I feel the freedom of bicycling.